MALNUTRITION IN CHILDREN: An Ulcer Eating Into The Cameroonian Society

Malnutrition is common in children all over the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that malnutrition accounts for 54% of child mortality worldwide. Causes of malnutrition can be inadequate food intake, lack of hygiene and sanitation and social inequality.

Breastfeeding has shown to reduce mortality in infants and young children. There is no doubting the fact that breast milk is important to the baby because it contains vitamins and nutrients a baby needs and is also packed with disease fighting substances that protect the baby from illness. Talking to the care giver of this beautiful but malnourished child, it was gathered that she was not breastfed by her mother who abandoned her while she was barely a few weeks old. This is due to poverty and hardship which is one of the causes of malnutrition. It cannot be denied that majority of the kids who are malnourished are from poor backgrounds. These children, whose parents can barely give them a good life and hardly, have balanced meals or good water to drink, walk the street begging for food.

Together we can fight against malnutrition in children especially those children who lost their mothers at child birth or who were abandoned by their parents. Saving a child is saving the future.

P.S: The picture you see above is a real picture of a baby girl who lives in Limbe. To support her, you can donate at least at least 10 dollars to our Global giving account on the link below